An t 6 sll OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE IRISH VOLUNTEERS.

VOL. I. No.9] 31st Dec and 15th Jan 1918. [PRICE TWOPUCK. . , . • place-hunter seemed supreme. The faithful few FIVE WONDERFUL YEARS. WITH the dawning of 1919 the Irish Volunteers who strove to ke~e torch burning in those enter upon their sixth year of existence, and dark days-the torqpj!anded down from ;rone can look back with pardonable pride upon the and Emmet-wet :~~";!L on every side with de­ five years of strenuous work and exciting his­ rision. To suggest th}t the men in these days ' tory through which they have passed. That were prepared to die for Ireland moved !.b.e-' Ireland to-day is stronger than she has been for mockery of the professional politician . ./ fhe many a year, that the National spirit \vas never British Government had set Itself out to buy sounder or more uncompromising, thaf we look over Irish Nationalism. Every fresh Act they to the future with the ulmost confidence, that passed-the University Act, the Old Age Pen­ • there is good ground for hoping to see the sions Act, the Insurance Act-created a fresh fruition of all our hopes in this New Year of horde Of officiafs, and consequently a fresh army 1919-all that is due principally to the Irish of job-hunters. A weak, supine, corrupt Party Volunteers. seemed to speak for and have the confidence of

Complaint. are constantly reac~ G.H.Q­ lometlmes from Ba~t&lion Officers, more frequently f, om Company Officers-that copie. of "An tOglach" are not lent them. Brigade H.Q. must clearly under· &tand that the paper is for di.tribution ~ong ALL Companies. It is is.ued by G.H.Q. 'On the basis of five copies for each Company. Brigade H.Q, wUl keep this in mind when allotting luppliea to their Battalions. BattaiioJl H.Q. will act in like manner t) their Companies. i_ Both Brigade and Battalion H.Q. muat have arrangements for IMMEDIATE DlSl'RIBOTION on receipt of •• An tOglaoh."

Their establishment in November, 1913, the Vi-st majority of the Irish people. The marked the dawning of a new era. It would crowning triumph of the English Government's be hard to find a period in Irish history in which policy of corruption was their purchase of that the Irish National spirit seemed to have sunk to Party, by making its members pensioners of a lower ebb than in that year of 1913. The the English Government. The road seemed previous eight years had been years of Angli­ clear for hoodwinking whatever of National cisatioll, corruption, and the insidious lowering feeling was left in Ireland by passing off some of National ideals probably unexampled in our trivial conce3sions on the Irish people as a annals. All the dominant forces in Irish public satisfaction of the demand for self-government. life stood for cowardice, compromise, and cor­ It seemed as though the conquest of Ireland ruption. All faith in lofty ideals, in patriotism by England was at last to be accomplished. or self-sacrifice seemed to have vanished. A Suddenly the Volunteers sprang into being. horrible cynicism reigned everywhere. The and the first signs appeared of a change of was healthy, all that was won undying glory for themselves 'by their and courageou'S in Ireland rallted gal­ to the lant fight against overwhelming odds in Easter standard of the Insh Volunteers. For, despIte Week. everything, the heart of Ireland was sound, and The events of burned secretly that week proved a turniflg for independence. The time point in Irish history. is not yet It is a new Ireland we come to write the true history of the are fighting for to-day, Volunteers. This not an aged, tired, much at least can be said, cynical Ireland, but a that the commonly receIved young, full-blooded, story of its origin vigorous Eire, full of hope, courage, is false. Its founders were that and enthu­ small and faith­ siasm. For two years and a-half the British ful handful we have referred to who had" kept Government has vainly striven to suppress the the torch burning in th~ dark days ", who Irish Volunteers. To·day they are far more cherished the ideals of Trltle and Emmet in all numerous than at any time since 1914; they their purity, and who at last saw their oppor­ are well-organised, tunity trained, and disciplined; of saving the body and soul of Ireland. and the entire NatIOnal Afterilnore than sentiment of the Irish • a hundred years of disarma­ people is at theIr back. They m!Ult.• with all its degradin.' have weathered oral effects, Ire­ many vicissitudes during this time. Many lahd at last saw an Arm her have very own spring suffered death, rJlany have suffered Imprison­ into being. The appea)l. dhe Irish Volunteers ment and was torture, but the ranks are unbroken, responded to by all that was manly in Ire­ each gap is speedily The filled. To have kept our forces of corruption looked on Army intact in the face and baulked. of the enemy through The politicians intervened these five stormy years is indeed- to control the Volunteers, a wonderful or failing achievement. By this means we have kept the their ranks. Despite the efforts Conscription menace of the small from our shores, and ful we have already referred saved Irelatld's manhood and to, the majority of the Ireland's honour. Provisional Committee in It is not now our task, however, a moment of weakness surrende1ed to boast of to the poli­ our past achievements nor pride ourselves ticians and admitted to the on control of the our present efficiency. We must remember Volunteers. The result was mischievous we , in the have much stern work to do-vital work, extreme. For a time it seemed as though the perilous Volunteers work, work reguiring the utmost would lose their military character, determination and and be converted the 'highest standard of into an "army" of uniforms efficiency. We must remember and parade, of flag-waving that whatever and "imposing de­ armistices may be signed in France monstrations". But military there is and National still a state of war in Ireland. We may instincts were too strong in those not be who had first much longer" in the trenches." It is good to joined the ranks, and their spirit kept the Vol­ look back upon the unteers adventures and achievements. a vital force. In those days, too, good of the past five years in service was so far as it will hearten done by the "Irish Volunteer", us to further efforts. Let edited by us resolve to be Laurence De Lacey, which helped to worthy of the gallant and honourable create and educate body to sound military and sound which we belong. Let each man do Nationat ideals. his best to be a faithful and efficient soldier of the The outbreak of the Army of war, when the politicians Ireland, an Army without fear and without tried to sell us to England, brought thin~s to a reproach. . crisis in the Volunteers, and the Army of Ire­ land threw out those corrupt and treacherous men from control of their body. The usual NOTES FROM forces of lying, bribery, misrepresentati.o~ .and HEADQUARTERS. intimidation were employed by the polIticIans ORGANISATION NOTES-Duties of Battalion to seduce Irishmen throu~hout the country Officers (continued)- fhe Battalion Adjutant from their allegiance to the Army of Ireland -In the Scheme of Organisation it is laid down and create a split in our ranks. Their efforts that he is to (a) act as Adjutant to the Com­ met with partial success. . Our ranks were de­ mandant; (b), supervise the instruction of pleted, but we still remained a disciplined, recruits. Under (a) his dutIes may be outlined well-organised body. The Irish Volunteers as follows :- threw themselves with the heartiest energy into 1. He will attend to the receipt and the task dIS­ of arming, drilling and organising to tribution of all ordinary despatches by make themselves fit to strike a blow for Irish dIrection of the Commandant. freedom. '" . . The opportunity came in 1916, and ~. He will have particulars of the Officers, a€-~pite the events which interfered with the numerical !:trength, situation, p!ans attend .. l1f insurrection, the Volunteers of Dublin ances of all Companies in the Battalion. 3· He will be responsible for instructing y~u will make for. In choosing cover bear in Company Officers in the proper manner mInd that trees, bushes, or hedges standing by of keeping records of the attendance of them~elves are invariably fired at by the enemy~ Volunteers at drills and parades, and even If they cannot see anyone behind them, such other records as may be required and that such" cover" is really no cover at alL for Battalion purposes. Also that rocks and stone walls are no such 4· He will be responsible for the collection good covers as they appear at first sight, inas-, of affiliation fees, and forwarding them much as there will always be danger of the man to G.H.Q. through Brigade H.Q. behind the cover being hit by splinters. A brick 5· He will be responsible for giving notice of wall or a mound of earth is all right, provided Battalion Council Meetings to the Bat­ either is thick enough to resist the passage of a • talion Officers and the Company Com­ manders. bullet. I am inclined to think that there is no. cover, taking it all (ound, to b.eat natura 'folds 'Vith regard to (b) he will require to arrange in the ground, and it is surprising what a small with Company Commanders that recruits re­ depression will make a man invisible at a short ceive som"! special training before being attached distance. to existing sections. (See Notes from Director In rushing for your cover be v~ry carehd not of Training in various issues). to show yourself against the sky-line, 1:tnd when Generally, it will be seen that the duties of you have reached your cover get as close to it as the Battalion Adjutant are so closely associated you can...... • with those of the Battalion Commandant that If you can tire round th~"\-iglif side of your it will greatly facilitate matters if these Officers COVer do so in preference to Acing round tHe left reside within easy reach of each other. I side or the top. You shoUld. never fire over the would strongly recommend Company Officers top of cover if you can h~p it, for though vou to bear this important fact in mind when cap get a better view of the £round the enemy making the appointments. WIll get a better view of you. If you are firing Battalion Quarter Master-Is responsible fo[.. -through a loophole fire from the left side; this the armament, transport, quartering and supply will give you better aim, of the Battalion. (See Notes on Equipment in If you cannot find any cover near your line of various issues). advance you must throw yourself down on the NOTES ON T~AINING.-Skirmishing-A skir­ open ground and flatten yourself out as muct as misher need not worry himself about keeping possible. in line, nor even about keeping at exact inter­ Don't fire precipitately after a rush-to do so vals from his right and left hand man, but he will only be wasting a.mmunition, and you will should move forward in as near a direct line as not be of much use as a skirmisher when your the cover wlll admit, and should always be very pouches are empty. Make sure that you can • careful not to civerge so much from a straight see your target and then take steady aim at it line of advance all to bring himself in front of a before you loose off that precious round of comrade's rifle or bring a comrade in front of ammunition; remember that firing for the sake his rifle. Doing this is called masking the fire, of firing when you can't see your enemy, and and it might be very unpleasant in actual war don't know where he is, is utter foolishness. In for the fellow in front. . ordinary circumstances you should fire slowly As the primary object of skirmilihing is to and methodically, but when you are in a tight enable a firing line to advance without expos­ place or have a bi~ target to shoot at.you should ing itself to the enemy it i.s evident that con­ fire as quickly as is compatible with hitting. cealment is of the first Importance, and the If you !lee anythin~ that appears to have skirmisher lihould select such litoppinr; places escaped the .otice of your Section Commander as will hide him from the view. and protect him draw his attention to it. from the fire of the enemy. Good cover should let the skirmisher have a GENERAL NOTES. good view of his front, for a man cannot get - The following information, supplied to us bull's·eyes if he cannot see the target. For the fro'm abroad from an absolutely reliablt! source, same reason the cover should be such as will will be read with interest by Volunteer;:. We allow the free use of the rifle, and if it provides reprodllce the information in the exact form in a rest for the rifle as well so much the better. in which it reached us:- It should also hide you from sight and give you "Few people outside certain official circles protection from the enemy's bullets. in England are aware of the immense part To choose Cover.-Before you start your rush played by Lord Northcliffe in bringing ahout you should make up your mind-as to the cover the collapse of the Central Powers. The

) authenticity of the following information (sup­ both from officers and men, contained bitter plied by one whose official capacity enabled him complaints that the Germans had been tricked to become possessed of it) can be absolutely into surrendering by false news. Early in No­ guaranteed. Northc1iffe was appointed Dlrec­ vember, when unrest began to manifest itself in -tor of Propaganda in Enemy Countries in the the German crews at Kiel and elsewhere, a course of 1917, when military operations had series of wireless messages was sent out from Qecide"dly failed to give the anticipated results. England stating that a great Labour Revolution Almost unlimiteC!l funds-our informant stated had broken out there, that a Republic had been them in millions-were placed at his disposal. proclaimed in London, an~ that the Navy had By the beginni~g of the present year (1918) mutinied and joined the Republicans. Later bis plans were completed, and the campaign messages stated that the British crews were opened. A large number of British agents were only waiting for their German brethr~n to do • sent to neutral countries, and many neutrals, likewise, and would then go out and fraternise Swiss, Swedes, Danes, Dutch-men of all with them. Many of the German crews imme­ classes were brought 0 er to undertake propa­ diately mutinied, killed their reactionary officers, ganda work in the~entral Countries. Immense and steamed out to meet their British ., com­ numbers of books, leaflets, pamphlets, and rades '. They soon found themselves hopelessly I "' neutral" newspapers, bought up specially for trapped, and had to surrender at discretion. the purpose, were distributed broadcast, espe- Irishmen are not unfamiliar with such , cially in industrial centres and among dis­ methods I" affected SocialistK.-and Anarchist groups in A resolution has been passed by the Inter­ Germany and the countries allied to her. The national Prisoners' League demanding the point Of view expounded in this literature was release of the Irish political prisoners. ThIS that the Allies (especially America) were not fact has been suppressed by the Censor, and fighting ag-ainst the German People, but merely newspapers have been warned not to pu blish it. against the militaristic entourage of the Kaiser. Ta c6ig bliadna 6 !'hin ann 6 cuireadh Fianna Once the German People had taken the man­ Fail ar bun. Is m6 cor a chuir an saoghal de agement of affllirs into their own hands and had 6 shin agus is m6 rud iongantach do thuit cleared out the Kaiser and the militarists, the amach. Ta a chrOldhe dkhlll deunta ag an Allies would be satisfied with evacuation of the nGall chun na hOghiigh do chur fe chois ach occupied territorie!', and would demand no taid siad ann f6s i n-aindeoin a dhichill nios • annexations and indemnities '. Every kind of treine agus nios acfuinnighe agus nios li6n­ false and imidious rumour was effectIvely spread mhaire na mar bhiodar riamh. As obair na for the purpose of damaging the Central morale. nOglach iseadh dfhas gach maitheas eile do In Bulgaria and Austria this propaganda was rainig do chuis naisiuntachta. Isiad do mhus- especially successful, and the internal colJapse cail an sprid i gcroidhe na ndaoine agus isiad a of these countries left Turkey and Germany chUlrfidh an tsaoirse i n-airithe do mhuintir na • practically helpless. \Vhen the full details of hEireann. this stupendous propa,:?anda are fully known it The death of Risteard 0 Colmain in Usk will appear that Northcliffe and not so much Prison adds another name to the Roll of Foch or Lloyd George must be given the credit Honour of the Irish Volunteers. Risteard of having won the war." played a gallant part in the fight at Ash­ II 'I The following Ecurious fact was supplied bourne in 1916. He was accorded public from a Government source :-: funeral with military honours by the Irish .....,. .. When the ships of the German Fleet were Volunteers in Dublin, which was made the surrendered to the British and interned at Har­ occasion of an imposing demonstration. wich and elsewhere, the German crews were Prevsous to the fUIleral the English Chief left on board to look after them, and one of the Commissioner of Police in Ireland asked terms of the agreement signeJ by both parties through the Lord Mayor an undertaking that was that these Germans were to be alJowed to there would be no uniforms worn and no correspond, without any interference, with their firing party at the grave. This was scornfully re own country. The German mails were to be fused, and the funeral carried out as arranged, collected at certain fixed intervals. and con­ the enemy forces not daring to interfere. veyed in sealed bags by British destroyers to COMMUNICATIONS NOTES-Brigade Officers Germanr. The British observed this condition i/c Communications who have not yet returned in the following characteristic way-: The bags corrected the time-tables sent out with Com­ were duly brought to the Censor's office in munications Order NO.5 (11.11.18) must do so London and ope.ned in such a way as to leave without delay. A single time-table not r turned little or no trace, and the letters were read. will make the route to which it belongs un­ Our informant states that many of these letter!', workable.